Radiosonic buoys



May 5, 1964 G. MAES 3,132,322

RADIOSONIC BUOYS Filed Feb. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 38- Hydrop/Ione unit 26- Hydrophane cab/e coil n n n n D n (i 7 37. 34 f/ 3 7 mvENToR Guy/fees BY @nu a ,nQ MIM if ArroRNEYs May 5, 1964 Q MAES 3,132,322

RADIOSONIC Buoys Filed Feb. 8, 19Go 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 5, 1964 cs. MAES RADIosoNIc Buoys 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 8, 1960 -|NVENTOR Guy/706W femm, Mm, Mlm# MM ATTORNEYS v teries.

i. theirr` full interdependencies.

. 'u FIG. 13 shows an elevation view of the Y 'other .5 parts thereof.

Strong mechanical resistance, easy and safe handling and storing,- security of mechanical and electrical opera- Y tiveness once afloat are highly desirable qualities for such buoys, and it is the object ofthe invention to so provide the said equipments that such qualities are Vensured in Such improvements will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: j

FIG. 1 shows a first complete assembly of a radiosonic i gbuoy in a read-for-use condition;

' FIG. 2 shows a modied batteryV supply equipment for auchY a buoy, the hydrophone and hydrophone cable being Y omitted; l

" "FIGSLB and 4 are respective views in storing and operative conditions, showing a modification of assembly of ,j ,the equipments of thebuoy with respect to the arrangement offFIG. 1.

v FIGSfS to 13 show the details of the hydrophone and hydrophone cable mounting in thebuoy, viz.- v

FIGS.` 5 to 10 show respective and successive stepsof `the making of the hydrophone cable coil for the buoy;

- VFIGS.11 and V12 show, respectively, a side View of the coil prepared for insertion within the buoy and a crosssectionV View of the coil; and

' concerned part ovfjthe buoy equipment in operation once the buoy is afloat. l "A radiosonic. buoy must embody a radio transmitter (together with a soniemodulator therefor, receivingthe vsonic signals) housed ina water-tight casing which also i V'seryes as a float, and underwater equipment comprising fsi'iltwaterY batteries and the hydrophone at the end of its cable, when the buoy is at sea; however, for handling facilities, sch a' buoy must also present a cylindrical hous-v king'fof the shortest'possible length, and further, instoring.; fandhandling conditions, the buoy must'have all equipf United States Patent O ice a reduced portion of the plate 15 is shown an annular water-tight-joint 16. The lower plate 11 carries a coaxial plug member 13 and socket 12. Plug 13 will serve for carrying the sonic modulating signal to the radio transmitter, and the sockets 12 will be plugged for the electrical supplies for the said transmitter from'the batteries.

The radio sub-assembly part of FIG. 1 is intended to behoused in a half-casing 4, of cylindrical shape. This casing comprises at one end a ring 9 of plastic material and, at its other end, a further ring 6 and enclosing a water-tight plastic joint 7. The ring 6 protrudes downwardly from the tubular casing 4 and into the upper end y of the lower half-casing 5. The lower plate 11 is presstted within thering 6.

yThe second sub-assembly comprises two portions, a iirst portion which includes the salt water activable batteries and the second portion includes the hydrophone 38 ments, housed in a waterproof casing though such water-` hausted parts thereof easily replaced without inconvenience and Vwithout disturbing the still useful and usable vReferring to FIG; which may be similar tol that shown at S8 and 96 in FIG.

vr4, itslocationjwithin the casing shown at 1. This" equipment will not be detailed since it is of a ,conven-j ltionalskind for such buoys. It is housed within a cylin -drical casing which is not imperatively water-tight and is @supported by an axial strut 41 betweentwo base plates A-15.and.1-1. n .Theupper plate 15 is made -with a sealed- Y throughleadla for Vthe passageof anaerial cable, said j l-aerial being schematically indicated at 18; Such an aerial, nt otherwise shown, may be understood as being of any suitableextendible-kind, being normally retracted during thesto'ring and handling conditions of the buoys. Around '1, the radiol transmitter equipment,

-proofness must'be automatically broken as soon as thev y buoyreachespthe water.: From another point of view,-

' such a buoy may advantageously be capable Aof being,

"fatter-due services at sea, taken back aboard andthe exand its cable coiled around it at 2S as will be later fully explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to 12'. The end of the cable Z8 passes within the battery compartment and is therein connected to a member of coaxial plug 21, mounted in a plate 19 also traversed by plugsv 20 connected to the battery supply proper. The member 21 is intended to cooperate with the socket member 13 on plate 11,`and theplugs 20 to cooperate with the sockets 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, for instance, the supply unit 22 proper is water-tight and its neck 24 presses a sealing joint member 23 between the said neck andthe cylindrical wall Z5 in plate 19. The base of the unit 22 supports a plate 26a upon which rest the salt water activable bat-v teries 26. l Y

l Around the batteries isestablished a cylinderl 27 open at both ends. A plate39, with provision for the passage. of the hydrophon'evcable 2S therethrough, by means of.

a water-tight plastic joint 29, closes theend of the cylinder 2'7 during storage periods for the purpose of excluding the atmosphere from the batteries insofar as this is possible. An annular joint '36 is provided around Y"a reduced portion of the plate 19 within the ringo. ,Y As shown in FIG.` 1, the equipment is mounted the half-partcylindrical casing S which is open at both ends and is provided near its lower end with the two diametrically opposed holes 37.`

. The assembly ofthe arrangements of FIG. 1 is made; by, firstly merely plugging-in the protruding members of plate 19 intothe receiving members of plate, 11 (the electrical connections are thus automatically made Vtogether withpart of the'- mechanical connection). Y The Y joint 30'is a plastic joint and insures the Water-tightness of.V

the housing of-the. radio transmitter 1. Then, after completion of this st connection, the cylindrical casing 5 is .af-

fixed on the ring 6v thereby surrounding the batteries and hydrophonearrangements. On each side of the hydrophonearrangement"v are placed two struts 32 bearing at' their upper end'against plateN 39 and at their lowerendspon a bottom plate "33 pressed towards the top by a coilV spring 34 itself supported by a transverse bar 35 Twhich is` `locked bya lockingl member 36 within, theholes 37 ofV the .cylinder 5.' y,In such condition, the spring 34 completes and maintainsthe water-tightness of the battery and `hydrophone housing by lits faction on 33.l Spring l34 presses the plate 33 upwardly and raises the p1ate.'39

through its action -on lthe`..s'tru'ts 32,` and raising of,the`. u plate 39k presses'the Vupper end of the'cylinder'l2r7V intol contact with the lower face of tlie'plate 19. f -l When .the buoyrcomes into contact .with the sea water, Y the impact `will unlockV thel member 35 and this member,k

and the plate 33 will fall-down, andthe hydrophone'cable will `uncoil. Thebatteries are activated by sea water.

and the-buoy is ready for due operation. The. details 'of fthe latch member y3l6fmay be the (same as Vforthe arrange- VVA E ment shown in FIGURE 2, see the parts 73, 75 and 7S.

The opening of the battery casing to salt water actually depends upon the lowering of the plate 39 onceV the hydrophone cable has uncoiled.V It may be preferable to provide a positive action for'such an opening and Y struts 65 screwed into plate 62 at their upper ends. AV

Cil

plastic joint 66 insures the tightness atvthe upper part ot the Vcylinder when it is pressed against'the wallV 62 by spring 76 mounted below the cylinder 64, as eX plained below.V A pair of springs 67 Vcoiled around the struts and bearing against hns 68 of the cylinder 64 normally tendto move the cylinder 64 away from the plastic ring 66; A bottom plate 69, for which Vthe struts 65 act as guide members, is permanently pressedetowards theV bottom by springs .'70 surrounding struts 65 and bearing on hns 77 of the said cylinder 64. Springs 67 62 and plate 69 when the spring 76 has been released.

The plate 62 is mounted within a cylinder orrcas'ing Y 71 (either one of the outer parts or a separate one, with the beginning turns of the spiral in formation. This process is repeated at each end of the coil during its formation, from layer to layer, which nally gives the unit of FG. 7. The number of layers is chosen odd.

Over the coil is wrapped'a paper ribbon P, two turns t at least, tightly Wrapped around the coil, and on (the cable end C1 issuing from the coil is fastened at G a ilexible cord length F. Thereafter, FIG. 8, this flexible string F is itself formed into ay lat coil applied over tue wrapping paper P together with the part C1 ofthe cable, see FiG. 9 in this respect. A -further wrapping of pape-r is made at P1, FIG. l0. Then the disks Bare removed and the mandrel A also, FIG. 11. Finally, FIG. l2, the hydrophone 38 is connected to the inner end C of the cable and housed at the place of thel mandrel as,

shown in said FIG. l2.

When the `buoy impacts or Vstrikesthe sea' level as said, the hydrophone cable is loosened and uncoils under the 'action of the hydrophone acting as a Weight. VThe liexible string F then serves to `avoid pulling the cable from its support at V Within the buoy housing. Ribbons 'f such as R may be used for sustaining the wrapping P2 and 70 tend to hold the cylinder 64 spaced fromthe wallV respect to the preceding iigures); and this cylinder is v provided with abar 72 locked by'a locking member 73 with respect to diametrally opposed holes 74 in Vthe bottom portion of 71. For instance, Vthe portion '7S of the locking member 73 is hooked in one openingv74 and retracts under the action of a spring 75 when an impactv of upward direction is applied 'to it.VV Between the member 72 and the bottom plate 69 is insertedY a coiled spring 76, which Vpresses upwardly against the plate ,69VY

and presses the upper end'of the cylinder 64 against the plastic ring 66 so long as the bar 72 is in latched position.

Whenthe impact on the sea level occurs, latch 73 releases'and all parts 72, 7,6, 78, 73, 75, fall downV and out of casing 71 and consequently the springs 67 and 70 produce a positive `opening of the' chamber of the batteries as shown. in FIG. 2. WhenrtheV bar 72 and4 the spring 76 drop out of the casing 71, the plate 61 g moves downwardly andl rests' upon' `the shoulders ,ofY the enlarged ends of the struts VV,` thus allowing cylinder 64 tomove away from the Vwall 62, and the ksprings 76 also o'preratetoV hold the lower end of cylinder 64 spaced away from plate 6 9. Of course, this arrangement maybe used with the arrangement of FIG. 1 since the difference liesl in the interposition of thehydrophone unit between plate 69 and coil 76 in FIG. 2.V

Cylinder 71 maybe theV same'as cylinder Vv5 in FIG.' 1. For duly coiling the hydrophone cable and enabling of the hydrophone, as well as obtaining a coil of'suitable4 cable length within a restricted available volume, it and the transmitter casingk or supporting'member areprovided Y to act las' follows, with reference to FIGS. 5 Vto -121 For obtainingV the required tubularV coil, useris tem- `porarilymade of a mandrel A, FIGS. 5 Yto 10andvtwo disks Bmounted ,on the ends of. this mandrel A to fix the useful length 'of the coil.

contiguous turns,`vfrom one diskB to the opposite one. Betweenvv thelayer thus formed and the layer which is to be Vsuperposed thereon is interposed a short length of some ribbons such as shown at D, uniformly distributed,Y

about the periphery of the cylindrical surface of the layer. The coil is continued in the oppositedirection Vso that, as shown in FIG. 6, the ribbons are applied over` Y actual height.

providedv according toia further feature of the invention,

(as `a whole) during Vthe uncoiling of the cable, suchY ribbons being aiiixed at K on the said cylinder 5.

yInforder `tofurther reduce the voiume of the buoy Vduring kstoring tand handling periods, whilstV insuring to the said buoy a Water-tight air volume suitable for in-jy suring Vproper floating thereof when -at sea,'it isfurther` provided a modication, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, of the assembly betweenithe, sonic, supply and radio equipments thereof and the tubular external housing dening this yMore definitely, in this respect, it is to have the volume of the equipment housing of watertight character reduced during the handling and storing periods and, on the other hand, automatically extendedV toa volume adapted to the proper floating of the buoy, once at sea. i Y

Referring lto FIGS. -3 and 4, the housing or casing of the buoy is shown aat 80 and contains a piston 81 on the 'Y upper side of which is mounted a plate 83 carrying an .Y

annular joint S4 bearing against the internal wall of 80, thus'insuringthe water-tightness of lthe volume above its level Whatever the position it occupieswithin the housing Si). -Waterftightness joints `85 are further inserted between rthe piston S1 and the plate 83.

Two water-tight electrical connections are provided at leastin the piston 81, one only of these -being shown at S6 for insuring'the electrical connection of the salt water battery. supply -to one or more terminals suchas S7and 89 above the plate S3, for the supply of the radio- Y electrical equipment `88; the other lone9 for connecting the hydrophone cable 2S to the sonic equipment 90'.

Y. ythe suitableruncoil Vof this cable solelyv underV the weight Y Y 'Ihe batteries 26 are mounted on a wall 91 in a sleeve Vcreasing 92 supported from thel piston 81. Thesleeve 92 is perforated by holes such as shown at 93. During storing and yhandling periods, the sleeve 92 is closed at its lower end by a plate 94, FIG. 3, on the edge of which is sety an annular water-tight joint 95 applied for instance byl meansfof la ring 96. f

VIn the open lower Vpart ofthe tubular housing 80 are provided opposite holes-98 `and 99 receiving respectively the end of iaV transverse bar 199 and lthe hooked end of a loelningY member '101 pressed to retract Iby a spring 102 but retained by theinsertion of said hooked end in the hole 9 9.V A Vcoiled spring 193l is inserted between the member 109 and a bottom plate 94 thus maintaining the bar ltlif applied in yits lockedcondition and the `plate'9'4. in its closing condition.

Onthe member'lti bears a rod 104 passing througha water-tightjoint through` the A'plate 94, as shown `at 105, and further passing through rthe plate 91 supporting the batteries 26. This rod` 104 abuts the end of a further rod 106 passing vthrough the piston 871' and capable of `sliding therethrough. In the rest position, rod 106 has Vits upper end on level with the upper tace of piston 81 over which rests the bottom of a container v107 containing f a gaseous uid under pressure. This container is guided and maintained by a cylindrical portioniof the wall 108,

, said .portion 108 ending in a radial wall 109 under which are supported'the radio and sonic equipments 88 and V90. LA lid 110 is 'aiiixed to the 'upper end of the housing 80, a plastic ling-joint 112 insuring the tightness of this paltof'the housing.

At ithebottom. of the lower casing is placed the hydrophone 38 and its cable coil -25 according to the abovedescribed structure.

i Y top of the lid 110 is connected by a coupling 113 a sleeve v114 pressing a plastic joint 115. Within this sleeve r1.14 is placed a tube '116 provided with a plastic joint 117 atv its'ilowerend which ends in a diaphragmcutter 118 above the diaphragm 119 of the container 107. 1

Acap '120 closes the sleeve 114 Iwith the interposition of a ring 'plastic joint 12.1. Between the tube 1116 and the cap is shown an aerial '..structure which, if reqfuired, may be of 'advantage with suc-h an larrangement of buoy though by no means i-mperatively used in connection therewith. r[This aerial "comprises -a tubular exible sheath 123 of such an impervious plastic material as `the one known under the commercial name of rilsan orthe like and within this sheath is arranged a conducting iiexible wire 122. The Vsheath 123 is attached to the end of fthe tube 116 by a 'wire coil 124 and the conductor is connected to the cap 1x20 and Ito a terminal 125 of the radioelectric equipment. .Sheath and wire are folded in the rest condition, FIG; 3.' In said rest-condition also,rplate 109 abuts against the'lid 110. The compactness of the arrangement is obvious and, if all members remain in such condition, the buoy will not float as thehousing 80 does not Acontain f a suicient volume of gas. The length of this housing is of a value just enabling all members to be placedin the v rest'conditionof FIG. 3.

Y fWhen the 'buoy impacts the sea, the bar member 100 is pressed upwards, the looking member 101 escapes the f hole 99, and all the members 100, 101, 103', 94, 95 fall down. YBut simultaneously, the rod 104 and consequently the rod 106 have been suddenly :and temporarily moved upwards. 'Ihe rod 106 moves the diaphragm 11-9 of the container 109 upon thel cutter 113 to puncture the Vdiaphragm and the gas under pressure from the container Q expandsV to lower the piston 81 to the position as shown in FIG. 4, and -the aerial is simultaneously' erected. The water-tightness of the part of the equipments under the piston'81 is broken and the batteries are activated from their contact with salt water; the hydrophone cable uncoils as previously described. The increase of volume of *the gas-tilled part of the buoy insures its floating. It must be noted that the radio and sonic equipments Y fthe ldown position of said piston, the center of ,gravity of hasqa greater stability in this respect.

A Of coursefthe Vaerial may not be of the gas ereotable kind, the action of the gas being preserved for the actua- Vgtion of the piston and the .equipments carried thereby. ',Iclaimz` Y 1: A radiosonic buoy comprising the combinationof ,.i'azt'ubular'casing, means on the upper part of said tubular member" within the upper portion of said casing, radio `equipment watertightly carried by said iirst supporting third supporting memberl disposed-beneath the .said secj ond'supporting member andV within the lower portion of ,tare made integral with the piston 81 in order that, inv

V the buoy is suitably lowered and consequently the buoy s'aid tubular casing, a hydrophone and cable .carried by .casing Lproviding a watertight closure, a rst supporting memben a second supporting member disposed beneath fthe said rst supporting member, salt water activatable batteries mounted on said second supporting member, a

watertightness and for enabling said hydrophone cableA to uncoil freely upon impact of said buoy with'the sea.

2. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 1, wherein the irst said means comprises a cylindrical casing, a base plate closing said cylindrical casing, a plastic jointdisposed between said casing and plate, and a spring urging said plate upwardly, and wherein the second said means comprises a transverse bar supporting said spring,` and a temporary locking member releasable upon impact `with the sea.

3. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 2,further comprising a plate in the midportion of said tubular casing, said base plate for batteries closing said cylindrical casing being slidable in the lower part of said tubular casing, struts connected to said midportion plate and slidably carrying said battery base plate, and further spring means on said struts exerting a force on said base plate closing said cylindrical casing.

4. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 3 further comprising a central rod connected to said midpor'tion plate for supporting the batteries, and a watertight joint between said base plate for batteries and said cylindrical Ycasing releasable by said temporary locking member upon impact with the sea.

5. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 2, wherein said hydrophone cable is coiled in the form of a toroid surrounding the hydrophone before impact of thebuoy with the sea.

6. A radiosonic buoy according tovclaim 5, further comprising short lengths of free ribbon interspersed between the upper and lower ends of the successive turns of the said cable coil, and a paper wrapping surrounding the outer cylindrical surface of the said cable coil.

7. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 6, further comprising a ilexible cordhaving one end attached to the cable near the hydrophone, coiled over said cable coil of toroidal form, and having the other end of said cord attached to said buoy.

8. A radiosonic buoy according to claim l, wherein' the said tubularcasing comprises an upper portion .and

a lower portion, and an annular ring memberv extending .partially within each portion whereby the said portions are held together. 9. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 8, wherein the saidsecond supporting member `for batteries comprises a base plate, a cyclinder surrounding said batteries and resting on said base plate, and wherein the third supporting member for the hydrophone comprises a bottom plate i `1l. A radiosonic buoy according to claim l, wherein w il the third supporting member for the hydrophone comprises a tubular casing disposed in the lower portion of the first said tubular casing.

l2. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 1, wherein the second and third supporting members comprises a cylindrical casing, a base plate for supporting the hydrophone, a plate within said vcylindrical casing for supportingthe said batteries; and any annular member connected to said cylindrical casing and slidablyicarried withinl said tubular casing, a watertightjoint between said `annular Amember and said tubular casing, and means connected y to said annular ring for driving said cylinder downward upon impact with the sea to increase* the volumeV of said buoy. 7

13. A radiosonic buoy" according to claim l2 wherein the said means Vcomprises a pressurized gas' Vcontainer resting on a separable rod and carried by said annular ring, a diaphragm closure for said container on the top thereof, a cutter connected to said tubular casing watertight closure abo/Ve said diaphragm whereby, upon impact with the sea, the diaphragm is carried into Contact with the cutter and is punctured, v

14. A radiosonic buoy according to claim 13, furtherV comprising an aerial mounted on the said tubular casingv watertight closure and being extensible by gas pressure released from said container. 'f Y 15. A radiosonic buoy. according to claim 12, wherein the said cylindrical casing enclosing the batteries is perf forated, and wherein the third supporting member for thehydrophone comprises a bottom plateV urged upwardly by a spring, and a plastic'joint between said tubular cas- 15 3,006,002

ing and said spring urged base plate supporting Vthe hydro-V phone.V

References VCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pingree et al. Oct. 31, 1961 

1. A RADIOSONIC BUOY COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A TUBULAR CASING, MEANS ON THE UPPER PART OF SAID TUBULAR CASING PROVIDING A WATERTIGHT CLOSURE, A FIRST SUPPORTING MEMBER WITHIN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CASING, RADIO EQUIPMENT WATERTIGHTLY CARRIED BY SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEMBER, A SECOND SUPPORTING MEMBER DISPOSED BENEATH THE SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEMBER, SALT WATER ACTIVATABLE BATTERIES MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND SUPPORTING MEMBER, A THIRD SUPPORTING MEMBER DISPOSED BENEATH THE SAID SECOND SUPPORTING MEMBER AND WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TUBULAR CASING, A HYDROPHONE AND CABLE CARRIED BY SAID THIRD SUPPORTING MEMBER, FIRST MEANS WITHIN SAID TUBULAR CASING FOR RENDERING THE SAID SECOND SUPPORTING MEMBER TEMPORARILY WATERTIGHT, AND SECOND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TUBULAR CASING FOR AUTOMATICALLY DESTROYING WATERTIGHTNESS AND FOR ENABLING SAID HYDROPHONE CABLE TO UNCOIL FREELY UPON IMPACT OF SAID BUOY WITH THE SEA. 